Charlotte.com

Although NBA failed to attain a hard salary cap, welcome back, anyway

I'm an NBA fan. I admit it. A lot of you don't like the league and feel compelled to announce it, even when you're not asked. But, come to think of it, you didn't ask me, either.

As happy as I am that the NBA will return, I'm disappointed in the CBA. The agreement, which has yet to become official but almost certainly will, is unfortunate for mid-market teams. Teams that play in cities such as Charlotte still are at a disadvantage because the league didn't fight for, or receive, a hard salary cap.

Without a cap, you get Major League Baseball. Some teams always are in position to win. Others never are.

Without a cap, a mid-market team such as the Bobcats can still win. But they have to do everything better than their major market counterparts.

That said, I'm looking forward to seeing rookies Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo, once the Bobcats settle with Biyombo's team in Spain.

I can't forsee the Bobcats being competitive this season. They probably will be to the NBA what the 2010 Panthers were to the NFL.

Instead of being the, say, 10th best team in the Eastern Conference this season, they'll be among the worst.

I'll take bad, if it leads to an opportunity to be good, over mediocre.